Circuit breaker switch



July 3, 1951 l. A. PAIGE CIRCUIT BREAKERA SWITCH Filed Feb. 9. 1946 mmu."

IN VEN IOR. [mac d. Page,

Patented July 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIRCUIT BREAKER SWITCHIsaac A. Paige, Chicago, Ill.

Application February 9, 1946, Serial No. 646,627

6 Claims. 1

My invention is concerned with improvements in a circuit breaker switch.

It is an object of my invention to provide a circuit breaker switchdevice having means responsive to a current overload for automaticallyoperating the device to break the circuit in which it is used and snapaction means for manually operating the device to reestablish thecircuit when the current is normal and forl thereafter operating thedevice as a snap switch.

It is an object of my invention to provide a device incorporatingtherein a circuit breaker element of the thermally responsive type inwhich relatively movable switch contact elements are brought intoengagement by a manually operated lever and normally held in engagementby the thermally responsive element, the manually operated lever beingso arranged that it is practically impossible to hold the contactelements in engagement by operation ofthe lever, following movement ofthe thermally responsive element out of normal holding relation with thecontact elements in response to a current overload.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a circuit breakerswitch comprising two relatively movable contact members, a manuallyoperated actuating lever and a thermally responsive element whichnormally holds the contact members in contacting relation and which isengageable by the actuating lever whereby the actuating lever may beoperated to release the contact members and simultaneously move thethermally responsive element out of holding relation therewith, thethermally responsive member being movable out of holding relation inresponse to a current overload on the switch to break the circuit, andthe actuating lever being operable to reset the contact members incontacting relation with the thermally responsive member in holdingrelation when the current is normal. y

A further object of my invention is to provide a circuit breaker switchwhich may be inexpensively manufactured using a relatively few parts,which is well constructed to withstand hard usage, and which is simpleto operate.

These and other objects will be apparent from a description of thepreferred form of my invention as shown, by way of illustration, in theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through my circuit breakerswitch device;

l Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of rig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section similar to Fig. 1 showing theoperating elements in a different position;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a plan of my device with the top of the case removed.

The preferred form of my circuit breaker switch as illustrated in thedrawings, is similar to an ordinary snap actuated type wall switch orthe like. The switch elements are enclosed in a two-part casingconsisting of a top I0 and a base II. The casing may b3 constructed ofany material having good dielectric properties such. as well knownplastic materials.

The main elements of my switch are mounted on the base II and comprisetwo contact members I2 and I3 located at one end of the base. Contactmember I2 is resiliently mounted on a short leaf spring I 4 which isconnected by a screw I5 to a small base plate I6 embedded in the baseII. An exteriorly arranged terminal connection Il is secured on the baseII and connected to a plate I 6 by a screw "I8, Contact member I2 may beregarded as a xed contact member since it is mounted on the spring I4merely to insure a good contact with the movable contact member I3.

Contact member I3 is mounted for movement relative to the contact memberI2 by means of leaf spring I9 which is anchored, at the opposite end ofthe base plate II, to a small metal plate 20 by means of a set screw 2l.The leaf spring I9 is shaped to provide intermediate its ends aninverted V-shaped projection 22.

An actuating lever member 23 is pivotally mounted at 24 in the topportion I0 of the casing and provided with a V-shaped arm or portion 25arranged to engage the V-shaped portion 22 of the spring I9. When theactuating member 23 is moved about the pivot 24 the peak or end 26 ofthe portion 25 slides up the side and passes over the peak or end 21 ofthe V-shaped projection 22 of the leaf spring I9 with a snap action.When the end 26 is on either side of the projection 22 on the leafspring I9 the contact members I2 and I3 may be separated as shown inFig. 1. Contact members I2 and I3 will be brought together intocontacting relation when the end 26 of the V-shaped arm 25 engages theend 2l of the projection 22, but the conguration of these members issuch that it is practically impossible to hold the actuator 23 with thends 23 and 2l in engagement.

A thermally responsive element in the form of a bimetallic member 28 isprovided with one end 29 anchored by screws 30 to a vertical portion 3|of an angle plate 32. 'I'he base 33 of the plate 32 is connected by ascrew 34 to an exteriorly arranged terminal connection 35. Thebimetallic element 28 is inturned at the free end to provide the angleportion 36 and shaped intermediate its ends to provide a V-shapedprojecting portion 31. The plate 28 is normally urged toward the leafspring I8 and when the contacts I2 and I3 are in contacting relation asshown in Figs. 3 and 4 the normal tension in the bimetallic element 28positions the angle portion 36 over the spring i9 and holds the contactmembers I2 and I3 in engaging relation. When the contact members I2 andI3 are separated the edge of the angle portion 36 of the element-28 isurged against the side of the leaf spring I9. The V-shaped portion 31projects into the path of movement of the end of the actuator lever 23so that when the lever 23 is moved from the position shown in Fig. 3 tothe position shown in Fig. 1 the end 36 of the element 28 is moved outof holding relation with the spring I 8 and the contacts I2 and I3separate due to the-tension in the spring I9.

'I'he switch is shown in open or released position in Fig. 1 with thecontact members separated. By moving the actuating lever 23 to theposition shown in Fig. 3 the contacts I2 and I3- are brought intoengaging relation and the end 3-5 of the bimetallic element 28 is moved,by the tension `in the element 28, into holding position above thespring I9 to thereby normally prevent the separation of the contacts I2and I3. The switch elements are then in the closed position (Fig. 3) inwhich they will remain until the bimetallic element 28 is actuated inresponse to a current overload or until the actuating lever 23 is movedto the open position (Fig. l) to manually release contact members I2,I3.

When the switch is closed and the current in the circuit exceeds apredetermined value the bi.

metallic element 28 will react to the current overload and move the end38 away from holding position over spring I9 allowing contact menbersI2, I3 to separate and break the circuit. The bimetallic element 28 maybe so designed that it will react and move the end 36 to open positionwhen the current exceeds the proper predetermined maximum value for theparticular circuit in which the switch is designed to be used. After theelement 28 responds to a current-overload and moves out of holdingposition allowing the contacts I2 and I3 to separate, the switch may bereset by moving the actuator end 25 from the position shown in Fig. 3 tothe position shown in Fig. 1 and then moving it back to the positionshown in Fig. 3, provided, of course, that the current in the circuithas been reduced to theproper y .at one end to the end 36 of thebimetallic element 28 and at its other end to a small metal.-

connecting element 39 which is clamped. between the spring I9 and themetal plate 28 by the set screw 2|. This prevents arcing between the end36 and spring I9 when these members are separated by operation of thelever 23.

The top of the case I0 is provided with a set screw 40 located abovecontact member I3 which functions as an adjustable stop to limit themovement of that end of the spring I9. Screws 4I may be provided in thetop I0 of the casing to secure the device to a panel or other support.The top I0 and base II of the casing may be secured together by a pin42.

When my device is used to control the ilow of current in a circuit whichincludes instruments, for example, which are liable to become damagedwhen subjected to a current overload, the thermally responsive element28 will automatically prevent injury to such instruments by breaking thecircuit when a current overload develops after the circuit is closed.The snap action of the manually operating lever prevents the operatorfrom manually holding the contacts in engagement when there is a currentoverload at the time the circuit is closed, and thus prevents damage inthe circuit which might otherwise occur due to an initial currentoverload.

While I' have referred to specic details of construction'and specificmaterials in describing the preferred form of my device, it will beunderstood that other details of construction and other materials may beresorted to within the scope of my invention.

l. A circuit breaker switch comprising relatively rnovable contactmembers, a leaf spring mounting one of said contact members, a manualactuator pivotally mounted adjacent said leaf spring, a projection onsaid leaf spring engageable by said actuator -whereby when said actuatoris positioned on either side-of said projection said contact memberswill be disengaged and when said actuatorl is engaged with saidprojection said contacts" will be engaged, said projection and saidactuator being so shaped that they will not be normally held inengagement with each other, a resiliently mounted bimetallic membernormally urged to a position in engagement with said leaf spring, aprojection on said bimetallic member engageable by said actuator at oneend of its path of movement to move said bimetallic member out ofengagement with said leaf spring.

2. A circuit breaker switch as-recited in claim 1 wherein an electricalconnecting member is provided between said leaf spring and the end ofsaid bimetallic member to prevent arcing when the members are separated.

3. A circuit breaker switch device comprising a casing having a base anda top, a relatively fixed contact member mounted on one end of saidbase, a terminal connecting member connected to said fixed contactmember, a relatively movable contact member, a resilient supportingelement for said movable contact member anchored at the other end ofsaid base, a thermally responsive element supported on said base with afree end normally positioned above and in holding relation with saidsupporting element, another terminal connecting member connected to saidthermally responsive member, means pivotally mounted in said casing topand engageable with said supporting element and said thermallyresponsive element for manually engaging and disengaging said contactmembers and for moving said thermally responsive element to position itsfree end in non-holding relation with said supporting element.l

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein there is provided anelectrical connecting element between said resilient; supporting elementand the free end of said thermally responsive element to prevent arcingbetween said elements when they are moved out of engagement with eachother,

5. A circuit breaker switch comprising a Xed Contact, a movable contact,a leaf spring xedly secured at one end and having said movable contactmounted on the other end, an inverted V- shaped projection intermediatethe ends of said leaf spring, a manually operated actuator having aV-shaped end movably mounted adjacent said leaf spring, said projectionon said leaf spring normally projecting into the path of movement ofsaid actuator end whereby engagement of said projection by said end ofsaid actuator moves said movable contact int) engagement with said fixedcontact, a bimetallic member mounted for movement at right angles to thepath of movement of the free end of said leaf spring, said bimetallicmember normally positioned in holding engagement with said leaf springwhen said contacts are in engagement, and a V-shaped projection on saidbimetallic member projecting into the path of movement of said actuator,whereby said contacts may be brought into engagement by operation ofsaid actuator and held in engagement by said bimetallic member, saidbimetallic member being movable in response to an increase in thecurrent to release said contacts from engagement and being movable outof engagement with said leaf spring by operation of said actuator tomanually release said contacts.

6. An electrical switch device comprising a relatively fixed contactmember, a relatively movable contact member, spring means mounting saidmovable contact member, a thermally responsive means normally engagingsaid spring mounting means and holding said contact members in engagedposition, said thermally responsive means being movable in response to acurrent overload to automatically disengage said spring mounting meansand thereby release said contact members, and means for manuallycontrolling both said spring mounting means and said thermallyresponsive means, said manual control means being mounted for movementin one direction to engage said spring means only whereby to move saidcontact members from disengaged to engaged position and to permit saidthermally responsive member to move into normal position in engagementwith said spring mounting means, and said manual control means beingmounted for movement in the other direction to engage said springmounting means and said thermally responsive means whereby to releasesaid contact members from engaged position when they are held in suchposition by said thermally responsive means.

ISAAC A. PAIGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date y 1,294,045 Cavanagh Feb. 11,1919 1,416,263 Campbell May 16, 1922 1,520,526 Berg Dec. 23, 19242,080,799 Wiegand May 18, 1937 2,198,358 Vaughan Apr. 23, 1940 2,225,692Fisher Dec. 24, 1940 2,228,523 Johnson Jan. 14, 1941

